Horses for Sources and EquaTerra Partner to Deliver ‘Actionable Intelligence’

Actionable Intelligence is a next generation synthesis of data-driven research that will enable executives engaged in technology services and business process optimization initiatives to make immediate decisions

Houston, London, New York City--Horses for Sources (HfS), an analyst advisory organization focused on outsourcing strategy support, has partnered with global business advisory firm EquaTerra to develop a new category of data-driven research, ‘Actionable Intelligence.’ Actionable Intelligence combines the immediacy of social networks with industry and advisory insight to provide information technology (IT) services and business process outsourcing (BPO) executives knowledge for improved decision making–today.

The unique blend of HfS research acumen, a powerful social network of advisors and industry executives, enterprise buyers and influencers and EquaTerra industry insight will produce immediately consumable and actionable intelligence that will serve a market suffering from an overload of marginally relevant research. Key areas of focus will encompass evolving technology service models such as cloud computing and software as a service (SaaS), human resources, finance and accounting, procurement, supply chain and industry vertical BPO services.

The first tranche of Actionable Intelligence products will be rolled out to select clients over the next month, covering buy-side strategies and tactics, service provider performance and satisfaction, industry-specific dynamics, and market analyses in key and emerging services and technology domains. The research roadmap will also include an evolution of EquaTerra’s quarterly Pulse study to encompass a groundbreaking demand and supply view of the industry. The HfS and EquaTerra alliance will offer clients Rapid Intelligence Executive Sessions to deliver immediate, actionable intelligence in a collaborative workshop setting.

Stan Lepeak, Managing Director of Global Research for EquaTerra, said “The research market covering outsourcing and third-party business and IT services has become tired and, to a degree, irrelevant to the needs of many buyers and service providers in the market. The HfS and EquaTerra alliance addresses this issue by focusing on data-driven, forward-looking and actionable research maps that help clients on both sides of the industry optimize their business.”

Phil Fersht, CEO of Horses for Sources, added, “Our goal at HfS is simply to provide clients with real insight into improving their performance thresholds through global sourcing. Moreover, our clients are impatient – they need that insight right now, and we are building a platform to provide it in real-time. EquaTerra has proven over time that it is a true innovator in the sourcing industry by helping clients solve the most complex business challenges. They bring both intellectual horsepower and market reach to this alliance.”
Mark Robinson, EquaTerra’s Chief Operating Officer added, “EquaTerra is delighted to have HfS as the anchor partner in its expanding research and advisory ecosystem. Phil Fersht is a unique voice in the industry, and has done a great job building on the established audience for his blog to create an exciting new entrant in the business and IT services research market. HfS and EquaTerra share a belief that the industry needs a fresh approach to research, and Actionable Intelligence synthesizes fact and informed opinion to deliver just that.”

The alliance is effective immediately, with both organizations shortly announcing a series of new research products for buy-side practitioners, investors and IT and BPO service providers.

About EquaTerra:

EquaTerra advisors help clients achieve sustainable value in IT and business processes. Our advisors average over 20 years of industry experience and in the last five years have supported more than 3,000 transformation and outsourcing projects across more than 60 countries. Supporting clients throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, EquaTerra has deep functional knowledge in Finance and Accounting, HR, IT, Procurement, Real Estate and Facilities Management, and other key business processes. EquaTerra helps clients achieve significant cost savings and performance improvement through internal transformation, shared services and outsourcing initiatives.

For the second consecutive year, EquaTerra appears at the number two position on ‘The 2010 Global Outsourcing 100’® list of ‘The World’s Best Outsourcing Advisors’ compiled by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals® (IAOP).

About Horses for Sources

Horses for Sources (HfS) is the foremost social networking community and advisory analyst firm, focused on helping enterprises make complex decisions with their global outsourcing strategies.

Horses provides the most impactful and frequently visited collaborative community platform in the global services industry, providing rapid and insightful commentary, analysis and debate of enterprise outsourcing dynamics. The organization is unique in the fact that it integrates personable social networking with market research and advisory services.

Horses’ mission provides a unique environment for collective research, opinion, experience and knowledge across the global outsourcing industry to help enterprises explore new performance thresholds. Led by industry expert Phil Fersht, the Horses for Sources team is a multi-disciplinary group of analysts and experts with deep domain knowledge in Business Process Outsourcing, Industry Specific Process Outsourcing and Cloud Computing.

Launched in 2007, the Horses for Sources blog has more than 80,000 regular visitors across the global outsourcing industry and 17,000 direct subscribers, and is widely recognized as the leading destination for collective insight, research and open debate of industry issues and developments.

More information about Horses for Sources can be accessed at www.horsesforsources.com. The company can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/horses4sources and LinkedIn by joining “The BPO and Offshoring Best Practices Forum" group.